Today we burst the bubble of the overnight success story. Many think it is possible now with the advent of social marketing to rise to the top overnight. That is not true. Social marketing is slow. It may be what pushes you to the next level, and maybe the next few after that, but it won’t be tomorrow.


The key to overnight success

There is no such thing. Except in Jimi Hendrix case, nobody has ever found overnight success. Getting started in social marketing habits can be exciting and make you feel like this thing is going to explode and make you famous by next year. It can make you feel like all it takes is each person to re-tweet or re-blog twice for everyone in the world will have heard your stuff by next month. The fact is, that just wont happen.

First, you earn trust

Trust is the currency of digital business. You can’t be right in front of someone shaking their hand when you are making a sale. You can’t be performing in a venue before their eyes with a merch table on the way out the door. You will need to earn trust through legitimate intimacy on the web. This legitimate intimacy happens when you spend time in the habit of spurring conversation and constantly adding value to those you are connecting with. stay out there, stay in front of people, stay connected. Most of all, keep adding value to all of the conversations you are in with all types of new and interesting content.

The good part

The good news is how marketing on a social level has changed everything for the speedier. Now everyone has the opportunity to get in front of the whole world via the interweb. Although building the stage you sing from online may not be fun (it really is though), it sure pays off in the end.

The other good part

It’s free. That is the other good part. You could spend thousands of dollars to get your picture on a billboard, or run TV and radio ads. While hard marketing like this is extremely powerful and should not be neglected, why not put some real effort into the free stuff. If you are not having fun doing it, change the way you are doing it. Let it fit your lifestyle and go with it. These are tools that get you in front of your target audience.

The other, other good part

A billboard again is powerful, but the web is much smarter. You can place yourself in front of the eyes and ears that are bound to love what you are giving them – whether they know it or not. Think of it more like a smart bomb rather than a carpet bomb. You can choose exactly who you want to be in front of and then show them what you got.

The point is….

Keep it up. It’s not a campaign or a part time job. It is a lifestyle you adapt to and embrace. You’ve gotta learn to tweet the right things and blog about what your readers want to read. Add value to their lives and they will add value to yours. Hopefully that value is their cash in your pocket and your music in theirs. Eventually it will be. The bottom line is add value, bring intimacy, and have fun doing it.